By Kodjo Adams, GNA
Accra, Nov. 16, GNA – The Ministry of Works
and Housing with its associated agencies will take steps to ensure the
demolition of buildings in waterways, which is a major cause of flooding in
Accra and the country as a whole, Mr Solomon A. Asoalla, the Chief Director of
the Ministry has said.
He expressed worry over the increasing rate
of flooding and disasters that were caused by human activities.
The Chief Director said this in Accra at a
leadership forum on Flood Management in Ghana on the theme: “Sustainable
dredging as a tool for effective city planning and flood prevention”.
The forum was organised by Acreaty Ghana
Limited, a human capital firm in partnership with Dredge Masters Ghana Limited
and Netherlands.
It brought together experts in engineering
sector to dialogue on how to explore new ideas and approach that can be
incorporated to existing structures to manage flood related problems in the
country.
He sounded a warning to all other developers
who do not have permits and build on waterways that they were the next target
for demolition.
Mr Assoalla stressed that the Ministry would
enforce the law to serve as deterrent to others to the do the right thing.
He said it behooved on all to be concerned
about the effects of flood, claiming lives and property and as well human
capital for national development.
Mr Asoalla said the menace of flood led to
environmental challenges, leading to health related diseases like cholera and
others.
Mrs Elsie Appau-Klu,the Managing Partner for
Acreaty Ghana Limited noted that the dialogue would provide a great platform
for both Ghana and Netherlands to share knowledge and information on workable
practices aimed at managing the flood issues.
She expressed worry about the rising
phenomenon of flooding problems associated with its annual disasters in Ghana,
Accra adding that within the past decades, flooding had become a global
pandemic that hampered economic and social development.
She said on June 3, 2015, Accra experienced
an unprecedented flash flood event, coupled with an explosion at a Ghana Oil
Company Limited filling station that resulted in a death of over 152 lives of
persons.
She asserted that “every year our major
cities have to struggle in dealing with the menace and blamed the situation on
human errors that needed holistic approach to tackle the situation”.
Mrs Appau-Klu stated that the Emergency
Events Database (EM-DAT): the 2015 flood in Accra resulted in economical loss
to the tune of US 108, 200.000.
Mr Wise Ametefe, the Registrar of
Engineering Council of Ghana, indicated that the council would continue to
support the government to intensify public education on the effects of
flooding.
Mr Ametefe expressed disappointment in the
Assemblies for being reluctant in performing their mandatory duties to demolish
unauthorised building structures including; churches on water ways in the
country.
According to the Council, the Assemblies
should be blamed for the loss of lives and property in flood related disasters
because they were mandated to remove all the building structures on the water
ways.
Present at the forum were representatives
from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Ghana Institute of Engineering, Ghana
Irrigation Authority, Ministry of Works and Housing, Jospong Group of Companies
among others.
GNA
